As of 2015, the North geomagnetic pole was located on Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada. ![]() The North geomagnetic pole actually represents the South pole of Earth's magnetic field, and conversely the South geomagnetic pole corresponds to the north pole of Earth's magnetic field (because opposite magnetic poles attract and the north end of a magnet, like a compass needle, points toward Earth's South magnetic field, i.e., the North geomagnetic pole near the Geographic North Pole). As an approximation, it is represented by a field of a magnetic dipole currently tilted at an angle of about 11° with respect to Earth's rotational axis, as if there were an enormous bar magnet placed at that angle through the center of Earth. The magnitude of Earth's magnetic field at its surface ranges from 25 to 65 μT (0.25 to 0.65 G). The magnetic field is generated by electric currents due to the motion of convection currents of a mixture of molten iron and nickel in Earth's outer core: these convection currents are caused by heat escaping from the core, a natural process called a geodynamo. Įarth's magnetic field, also known as the geomagnetic field, is the magnetic field that extends from Earth's interior out into space, where it interacts with the solar wind, a stream of charged particles emanating from the Sun. The dense clusters of lines are within Earth's core. ![]() The rotation axis of Earth is centered and vertical. The lines represent magnetic field lines, blue when the field points towards the center and yellow when away. Computer simulation of Earth's field in a period of normal polarity between reversals.
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